South Texas Golf Course Superintendents Association Article

A record-setting winter in some parts of the country will mean longer-than usual recovery times this spring for many golf courses and the superintendents who manage them
One sure sign of spring is the return of golfers to their local links. But in many parts of the country, when those golfers tee it up, they are likely to find more than a few reminders of the long, cold winter that just concluded. From parts of the Up-per Midwest to the Northeast and in areas as far south as Texas and the Carolinas, the winter of 2013-2014 was one of the longest, coldest and most severe in memory. And according to golf course superintendents and turf grass researchers who have been monitoring conditions with great concern, golfers getting in their first swings of the season are likely to get an up-close-and-personal look at the damage. “I spoke with a superintendent the other day who has been in his current position for 22 years, and in the industry longer than that, and he thought this was the worst winter since the late1970s, something like 40 years," says Kevin Frank, Ph.D., an associate professor in turf grass science at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich. "Winter injury isn't uncommon on golf courses in many parts of the country, but it might normally be just a handful of courses that are affected. This year, it will likely be just a handful that aren’t affected." "At a local superintendent meeting we just had, a climatologist from Michigan State told us that this was the worst winter in 100 years," said Steve Cook, Certified Golf Course Superintendent (CGCS) at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. "It was just so far out of the norm, even for those of us in this part of the country. "So what made this winter so unusual and problematic for golf course turf grass? Primarily, it was the unusual mix of snow, ice and long stretches of below-average temperatures that created the recipe for trouble. And depending on where you were in the country, the impact was felt to varying de-grees. More southern climates may have largely escaped the heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures, but winter still took its toll, most notably when an ice storm felled the famed Eisenhower Treeat Augusta National, site of last week's Masters Tournament. More broadly, golf courses featuring warm-season turf grasses such as Bermuda grass or zoysia grass that were exposed to unusually long periods of near-freezing temperatures may be slow to take shape this spring. In the Upper Midwest and Northeast, that winter recipe created even more significant issues. The most notable troublemaker, according to Frank, was ice that took up residence on golf course turf and refused to leave, choking off oxygen that turf counts on to survive winter. “In some places, there was constant ice cover for a period of 60-70 days. And talking to superintendents, you'll hear a range of depths on that ice cover, anywhere from a half inch upwards to 4 inches. That's something I haven't seen here in my 15 years here." Frank says. “Combine that with the heavy snowfall, and it created a situation that was pret-ty much beyond the control of any turf manager. There just aren't many options when you have that much ice-covered by 2 feet of snow. “What will golfers see once that snow and ice finally gives way to spring in those areas of the country? There will likely be areas of turf grass that simply didn't survive the winter, an occurrence superintendents refer to as winterkill. So bare spots on greens, tees, fairways and in roughs will not be uncommon. Golf courses might also be facing disease pres-sures because of the long winter, most notably snow molds that could be thriving despite the fact that most superintendents preventatively treat their golf course before winter sets in. As spring begins to take a firmer hold, superintendents and their teams will be taking active steps to repair any damage left behind by this unusual winter. In cases where snow mold is pre-sent, spot fungicide treatments can be expected. And golfers can also expect to see plenty of spring seeding of areas im-pacted by winterkill, whether those are bent grass or annual bluegrass greens. “One of the first questions I've been asking superintendents is, 'Do you have enough seed?’ “Frank says. "Bent grass seed is going to be a hot commodity for golf courses this spring. I think golfers can expect to see some temporary greens out there, maybe some greens that are half playable and half roped off until they can get some new growth. That's what superintendents do; they grow grass. So I ex-pect them to get everything in great shape eventually. It just might take a little longer than after a normal winter. “One final tool in helping repair the damage left behind by the brutal winner of 2013-2014, at least according to Cook: Open lines of communications between golfers and superintendents. "I really think one of the most valuable things you can do in situa-tions like this is to just talk to your members, talk to you golfers," Cook says. "Just let them know what is going on with your golf course and what steps you and your team are taking to address any issues," he explained. “I think Trey Rogers with Michigan State said it best - we just need to relax and see what happens. It's going to take some patience by turf grass managers, some babysitting. We'll pull out all the stops, but at the end of the day, it just takes time."

Questions concerning to the golf course

1      This e-mail was sent to the club on Wednesday May 21, 2014 by a member of Willow Fork Country Club.I thought I would try to answer some of these topics.

        It is inexcusable for the greens to be in the shape they are in.  It is the absolute worst and has been for a while. Anyone should have been able to tell that there was a disease problem early on - there is absolutely no way they should have been cut down to the level they were for the Member/Member. 

                    

      It is inexcusable for the greens to be in the shape they are in-Are we talking about the putting green? if so, yes there is an issue whether it would be drainage issues, traffic issues, disease issues-I will get that figured out. It take me time to get test results back from disease and soil testing labs.

 It is the absolute worst and has been for a while. Are we talking about #1,2,3 &18 green, if so, Poa Annua which is a winter weed appeared starting back in January, Since January 6th-5 herbicide application have been applied to the putting surfaces of these greens and absolute no kill resulted. I have pictures of me pulling the plant out by hand and one single root holding that plant to life-yet our available products would not terminate the life of these poa annua plants. For 2015, I am looking into different steps to get better control, the EPA has removed the top 2 products that have been used for years that were successful, they are not available for use anymore!

Anyone should have been able to tell that there was a disease problem early on-I'm confused can I be educated of what type of disease our greens suffered through this winter. Very little Bipolaris Leaf Spot was detected and treated compared to years past. Just 2 years ago holes #2,3,4,5,7,14, & putting green were devastated with disease every year. It seems like it was almost just acceptable that we were going to lose grass on those greens. Willow Fork golf course maintenance staff began to investigate the drainage on these greens and found huge problems. After a full winter of doing drainage repairs 19 out of 20 greens now have grass completely covering them throughout the winter month and spring months. 

 There is absolutely no way they should have been cut down to the level they were for the Member/Member-Greens were lowered 1/64" of an inch??? and then double cut and doubled rolled for week before. Have we already forgotten the temperatures had dropped significantly the week of the event? That's devastating to the turf!!! Lowering the greens a 1/64" of an inch, has no devastation to the turf, whether it would have been in the spring, summer, fall, or winter. 

The lack of grass on the fairways is also deplorable - I have played a number of the area courses and by FAR our fairways are the worst.

The lack of grass on the fairways is also deplorable-I will not apply fertilizer down to the fairways and/or roughs until the 150 temperature degree rule is met. If you do not understand the 150 temperature degree rule, there is a write up about it in this blog. This is a huge investment for Willow Fork, fertilizer will be applied once it will work. Every fairway has grass completely covering it. We do have watering issues to deal with, very few people want to accept this as part of our issue but we do have to meet permits on the amount of water that is applied on a yearly basis. Just 10 years ago water was free and you could use all the water you wanted here at Willow Fork Country Club today we are paying $2.25 p/1000 gallons. Right know our annual cost to pump water from the ground to our lakes is estimated $88,000.00. I have commented that we should begin to charge members $2.25 p/round of golf to help in compensating the cost, but even then that would not fix the problem because the water authorities control the amount you are allowed to pump from the ground. Every year our permitted amount is lowered by the Fort Bend Water Authority. In our near future, we are supposed to be receiving effluent water. This is supposed to help in offsetting the cost of groundwater but does not offset the amount we will be permitted for. They (water authority) are now 2 years late getting here.  

by FAR our fairways are the worst.-Wow-hear we are mowing fairways twice a week, we have already aerified them plus I cannot tell you the amount of members that have complimented the turf this year.

 The range is an absolute joke and it can't be blamed on the kids - there is absolutely no sand spread to fill in the divots.

 Again, I am going back to the 150 temperature degree rule. When you add the night time and day time temperatures together and you don't reach 150, then grass is not in full strides of growing. Sure it's green but that doesn't mean it's growing. In order for an area such as the driving range-grass must be in the full stride of growth in order to recover from the impact of damage it receives. Yes, I'll confess more sand should be applied to the driving range tee. Tuesday May 27th the tee box is scheduled for a heavy top dressing and plus an additional fertilizer application. Already 4 fertilizer applications have been made since mid-April, (I'm going to say it again) the 150 temperature rule has just barely been met, just turf recovery is in progress.

The bunkers on the course are poorly conditioned and the lack of sand in them is fairly obvious.

The bunkers on the course are poorly conditioned
Conditioned
1. Have a significant influence on or to determine the manner of outcome of something.
2. Bring (something) into the desired state for use.

 I have been asked throughout the years why do we rake traps with the trap rake machine? Really a simple answer, we have 65 bunkers to get ready for play, 5 out of 7 days of the week we have play starting on the front 9 and back 9 as early as 7:00 A.M. In order for our staff to get the bunkers ready for play, the trap rake is our quickest route. 
 Drainage is another issue we have, I do not even know when Willow Fork did the last bunker renovation to the greenside bunkers, my guess it had to be in the late 90's or early 2000's. You can put the finest drainage systems in and they typically last 7 years on average. Our worst bunker conditions usually occur after heavy rains or during a rainy cycle. Rain causes the sand to erode from the edges of the bunkers and then coincides with soil. When soil mixes into the sand it stops the water from being able to drain through and then we pumping water from traps. Just last week 4.75" fell in one day. Bunkers were then pumped in 2 days and raked, but even then the sand is still wet so it does not rake as well as dry sand does.
the lack of sand in them is fairly obvious. Yes some bunkers lack sand and additional sand is planned for later this summer. Also, I am working with Century Golf on a bunker renovation plan. 

I am also frustrated that we are spending money (the maintenance pictures are ridiculous bc that is what is supposed to happen) on little projects that do little to the improvement of the golf course.  Maybe we should improve the quality of the course such as:

I am also frustrated that we are spending money (the maintenance pictures are ridiculous bc that is what is supposed to happen) on little projects that do little to the improvement of the golf course.  

2014 improvements so far:  

Cart Path repairs-we all used to the breaks in the cart paths and you just took the bump and went on. This is normally considered a capital project, however I wanted to make an immediate impact on the repairs. Our staff went in and broke out all the necessary concrete-installed rebar, plus additional rebar supports were installed into the ground to keep the repair from moving and we then poured new concrete. The pictures are there just to show the membership what we are doing. Repairs took place on holes #1,4,6,8,9,10,16-these were the worst of the worst. I could have chose to not do the repairs and just leave it up to the corporation to do the repairs but I wanted to make an impact and I knew a majority of the membership would appreciate it. The expense was quite a bite out of our budget to this project.
Leveled Tee Boxes-the worst 2 tee boxes were completed first. #5 gold tee was the single most complained about tee box on the course, the #7 gold tee was next. The maintenance staff removed the turf from the tee box and either removed and/or added the necessary soil to level them out. There are plans to do other tee boxes as well. The Ladies Golf Association has already presented to me a list of tee boxes they would like for me to address. So I do know there thoughts and needs and plan to address them. Again, this is a project that I figured the membership could appreciate.
Tree Trimming- Our maintenance staff takes pictures of pruning trees -  this is not an improvement it is normal maintenance.
tree trimming will go forever, however it is an expensive project. Between the necessary equipment such as chainsaws, fuel, mulching machines, and lifts these can add up quickly. I wanted the membership to know that the golf course maintenance staff was doing the tree trimming and not some outside service. Sure, we know it's a normal golf course maintenance tasks to complete, alot of hard work from our employees go into this project and we want everyone to know who does this work. I had members coming to me and asking for a business card to the company that was doing the tree trimming, it was Willow Fork Country Clubs golf course maintenance staff doing the tree trimming!
Landscaping at the scoreboard area-The golf course maintenance staff plan was to help in beautifying this area. Making this area where it can be enjoyable to see the landscaping and having a nice place to sit and relax after playing golf. Additional landscaping beds are planned to go later this year. The pictures are there for informational reasons, we want the membership to see us at work.

I hope this answers a few questions

Willy Plowman
Golf Course Superintendent

1.  

Course Care: Easing The Pain Of Core Aeration

10 tips for quicker recovery

By Patrick Gross, USGA Green Section

Making a clean aeration hole expedites turf recovery. The goal is to make a clean, surgical cut so that the turf heals rapidly and redirects its energy to producing new roots and leaves to fill the voids. (USGA Green Section)

 Core aerating putting greens is a lot like going to the dentist. We know it is necessary a few times each year, but we hope the experience is as quick and painless as possible. Although core aeration temporarily diminishes putting quality, the short-lived pain results in a long-term gain for turf health by reducing thatch and organic matter levels, relieving soil compaction, increasing soil oxygen levels and stimulating healthy root growth.
 Golfers begrudgingly understand these benefits but wonder why it sometimes takes so long for putting greens to recover. Core aerating greens will always result in some disruption, but there are steps that can be taken to help the greens recover as quickly as possible.
 There are dozens of methods superintendents use to aerate greens, the most popular being half-inch-diameter hollow tines, commonly referred to as conventional coring, but there are also small, pencil-sized hollow tines, high-pressure injection of water and/or sand, large-diameter drills and many others involving tines, knives, or blades of varying shapes and sizes. Each procedure has its own benefits, and it should be up to the superintendent to decide which method is best based on the prevailing climate, conditions and aeration goals for a particular golf facility. For the purpose of this article, only the standard practice of core aeration using half-inch-diameter hollow tines or larger will be discussed, along with 10 useful tips to get the maximum benefit from the procedure and restore smooth putting surfaces as quickly as possible.
1. Proper timing – This is probably the single greatest factor affecting the success of the procedure and the time necessary for recovery. Core aeration needs to be done when the turf is healthy and actively growing so greens will heal and recover as quickly as possible. From an operational standpoint, most golf facilities determine aeration dates based on a calendar so tournaments and events may be planned at least a year in advance.
From an agronomic perspective, it is best to schedule core aeration based on a temperature model because soil temperature has the most influence on turf growth rate and the ability of the holes to recover quickly. For cool-season grasses like creeping bentgrass and Poa annua, core aeration is best performed in the spring and fall when soil temperatures are consistently above 55°F and preferably between 60°F and 65°F. For warm-season grasses such as bermudagrass and seashore paspalum, core aeration is best performed in late spring and throughout the summer when soil temperatures are above 75°F. Although it is nearly impossible to predict the weather one year in advance, historical weather records along with personal experience are helpful in determining the proper timing for core aeration.
Attempting to aerate during the offseason or outside recommended temperatures can have a very negative effect on surface quality and significantly delays recovery. This is a common pitfall in northern and high-elevation climates, where the golfing season is short. As many golf facilities have experienced, attempting to aerate in the late fall when the soil is too cold runs the risk that the greens may not recover until the following May or June, depending on winter and spring conditions.
2. Fertilize three to five days before aeration – Stimulating turf growth a few days prior to aeration helps holes heal more rapidly once aeration is completed. It is best to use a soluble nitrogen source (e.g., urea, ammonium sulfate, calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate) that is readily available to the plant. Apply at a rate of half-pound nitrogen per 1,000 square feet, followed by watering the material into the turf.
3. Irrigate to provide adequate soil moisture – The greens should be irrigated one to two nights prior to aeration to bring the volumetric soil water content into the range of approximately 30 percent for the upper few inches of the root zone, or deeper if using longer aeration tines. Proper moisture content is not only important for healthy turf growth, it serves as a lubricant for the coring tines and helps to resist soil heaving and tearing of the turf. Excessive moisture should be avoided as it can result in wheel rutting by the aeration equipment and muddy conditions as soil cores are brought to the surface. Conversely, very dry conditions can result in shock and damage to turfgrass roots and contribute to a poor-quality aeration hole that is slow to recover.
4. Make a clean aeration hole – Proper equipment setup and an inventory of several new sets of hollow tines are essential for making clean holes. This will expedite recovery. The goal is to make a clean, surgical cut so that the turf heals rapidly and redirects its energy to producing new roots and leaves to fill the voids. Worn and jagged coring tines tear the turf and contribute to desiccation along hole edges, which slows recovery. The equipment should be checked and tested at least a week in advance to verify that adjustment and timing of the machine are correct and to insure that a clean vertical hole is created. Aeration tines wear down rapidly and may only last for two to three greens. The superintendent and mechanic should monitor the equipment closely throughout the aeration process so that the coring tines can be changed promptly.
5. Topdress with dry sand on a clean, dry surface – In an ideal world, the application of dry topdressing sand on a clean, dry turf surface helps the material to fill the holes as completely as possible. After the aeration cores are removed from the surface, a blower or high-pressure hose-end nozzle should be used to clear any remaining debris from the surface before applying dry topdressing sand. Dry sand moves into holes more readily, while moist sand tends to clump at the top of the aeration hole. The latter is referred to as bridging, and it requires more dragging to completely fill holes with sand. Rain or heavy dew on the day of aeration can disrupt the process and may require extra brushing, dragging, and irrigation to incorporate sand. Oftentimes, just letting the topdressing sand sit on the surface of the green for an hour or more provides enough drying so that the sand can be easily incorporated into aeration holes.
6. Fill the aeration holes completely to the surface – Partially filled aeration holes result in a bumpy surface and reduce the overall effectiveness of core aeration. The holes are going to fill up with something, and it will be more thatch and organic matter unless sand can be applied to completely fill the column. It is important to carefully set the metering device on the topdressing machine and monitor the mechanism throughout the process so that the proper amount of sand is applied to each green. Even when done properly, it is typical for sand to settle within the holes after a couple of days, leaving small depressions on the putting surface. Prepare to make a second application of sand at a lighter rate within three to five days to top off the holes and restore surface smoothness.
7. Avoid excessive turf abrasion when incorporating sand into aeration holes – Typically, a steel drag mat, brushes, or brooms are used to push sand into aeration holes. Dragging or brushing should be performed only to the point where sand has filled the holes and turfgrass leaves are visible on the surface. Excessive dragging can cause damage and abrasion to the turf and extend recovery time. For this reason, many superintendents are now using blowers to finish moving sand into aeration holes after an initial brushing is completed. Also, it is important to note that the angularity of the sand can contribute to turf abrasion during dragging and brushing operations. It is important to work with the sand supplier and an accredited physical soil testing laboratory prior to aeration and topdressing to insure that the size and shape of sand particles are compatible with the putting green root zone. A complete list of accredited physical soil testing laboratories can be found at the American Association of Laboratory Accreditation.
8. Roll the greens to smooth the surface – The use of a putting green roller after aeration and topdressing helps to eliminate surface irregularities and provide reasonable putting quality. Rolling also improves mowing quality and reduces the potential for mowers to gouge or scalp tufts of grass that have been lifted up during the dragging and brushing process.
9. Let the turf grow through the sand topdressing layer – It defeats the purpose of core aeration and topdressing to put sand down one day and then mow it off the next. This is also a surefire way to ruin mower reels. For better overall turf quality and less damage to equipment, it is best to roll the greens for one to two days following aeration and topdressing and then resume mowing at 0.005 to 0.010 inches higher than the normal cutting height. It is typical for golfers to loudly complain for several days immediately after aeration, and the tendency for superintendents is to immediately resume mowing to clean the greens of any remaining sand. Such tendencies should be avoided by both golfers and superintendents. Trying to restore pristine putting surfaces immediately following aeration and topdressing largely defeats the purpose of either practice. And when putting greens do not get the full benefit of both procedures, the result is more aggressive and/or frequent cultivation treatments needed in the future.
10. Irrigate and fertilize to stimulate turf recovery – The high volume of sand that is incorporated into aeration holes can dry out quickly and induce drought stress on greens, especially in the late afternoon. Frequent irrigation and supplemental hand watering throughout the day for several days are typically necessary to stimulate and accelerate turf recovery. A follow-up application of a soluble fertilizer five to seven days after aeration at a rate of quarter-pound nitrogen per 1,000 square feet further helps speed turf recovery and get the greens back to a smooth, dense, uniform condition.
Conclusion
These 10 points to ease the pain of core aeration may seem obvious, but unfortunately they are often overlooked. Like any simple procedure, problems tend to occur when shortcuts are taken. Aerating at the wrong time of year, not completely filling holes with sand, and not paying proper attention to fertilizer and water applications before and after aeration are frequent mistakes. The end result is prolonged recovery, and putting greens will not receive the full benefit of the procedure.
Keep in mind that despite meticulous planning, adverse weather can disrupt the process, and it is always a good idea to plan an alternate date for aeration in parts of the country where adverse weather is a concern. While golfers and superintendents never look forward to core aerating greens, following the steps in this article will make the process as painless and quick as possible.
Pat Gross is director of the USGA Green Section’s Southwest Region. Email him at pgross@usga.org.

Greens Aerification

 On Monday May 19th, we aerified the greens with a 3/8" side eject tine. Along with the aerification, the greens were verti-cut in two different directions, top dressed and fertilized with a Ultradwarf Bermudagrass granule fertilizer.

1-greens are verti-cut with a dyna blade verti cutters at 1/8" deep (below the height of cut) in two direction.
 A rule of thumb-In a years time, 24% to 30% of material (such as thatch) needs to be removed. By aerifying with 3/8" tines on 1.5 centers an estimates 8.1% is being removed, then the verti-cutting cutting removes approx. another 2.3%
2-blower comes along and helps in removing the excess material (grass clipping) that was removed during the verti-cutting.
3-greensmower mows the green to help in smoothing the surface.
4-green is aerified
5-green is top dressed (heavly)
6-dragging in the sand--after approx. 2 hours of sand sitting on the greens surface we begin dragging the sand in.
7-mow the green-if the sand has settled enough for me to be say ok, lets mow it then we do--otherwise we may wait a day or two before we start mowing the greens.
8-fertilize the greens with a granuler fertilizer-up to 3/4 pound of Nitrogen plus all the necessary micros.
9-water it in.

This whole process took us 9 hours to do. Expect the healing time to take anywhere from 10 to 14 days. Of course, that depends on temperatures, remember the 150 temperature degree rule!!!

USGA Ultradwarf Management

Going for the Gold with the Ultradwarf Bermudagrasses

This is part three of an occasional series on bermudagrass putting greens and focuses on surface management and minimizing grain.
 The first full set of ultradwarf (Champion) bermudagrass putting greens were planted in Florida in the summer of 1997. The following year, Floradwarf and TifEagle became available and were used on a few courses in Florida and the Southeast. Also in 1998, an On-Site Evaluation of Bermudagrass for Putting
Greens project was initiated and sponsored by the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program, USGA, and Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. Subsequently, there has been a steady increase in the use of the ultradwarfs, and today Champion, Mini-Verde, and TifEagle have replaced Tifdwarf as the standard
for warm-season turfgrass putting greens. Although the ultradwarfs are bermudagrasses and there was some preliminary work done as far as their management requirements, as we all know, fine tuning of best management practices occurs in the field over a period of several years. With the ultradwarfs having been in use for ten years, a sound information base now exists for producing consistently top-quality putting green
conditioning.
 It should be reiterated that every golf course is unique and “there are a lot of ways to skin a cat.” Having visited numerous facilities throughout Florida and having discussed ultradwarf putting green management programs with superintendents from the Carolinas across the Southeast to Texas, there are a number of common denominators. The following is a review of the key surface management practices being used to produce top-quality ultradwarf putting greens.

HEIGHT OF CUT IS NOT THE TOTAL ANSWER

Along with a finer leaf blade and increased shoot density, the ability to tolerate a height of cut of 0.125 inch was one of the primary criteria used in selection of the ultradwarf cultivars. As to be expected, however, heights of cut have been taken lower and lower in an effort to produce very fast putting green speeds. However, just because it can be done does not mean that maintaining the lowest height of cut possible is
necessary or even best for providing top-qualit yputting green conditioning. Time and again, university research and field experiences have shown that there is a point of diminishing return where no additional increase in speeds is achieved with further reductions in height of cut. It should also be reiterated that the continual practice of maintaining excessively low heights of cut negatively impacts general turf health and increases its susceptibility to disease and nematode pest problems.
 Thus, today, an effective height of cut in the range of 0.105 to 0.125 inch is being routinely practiced at the vast majority of facilities where top-quality ultradwarf putting greens are being maintained. Along with being able to provide medium fast to fast putting speeds, the turf has improved disease and environmental stress
tolerance. However, during extended periods of inclement weather and in the fall when preparing for the winter, slightly elevated heights of cut need to be maintained.
 The higher shoot density of the ultradwarfs compared to Tifdwarf is a positive characteristic as far as smoothness of ball roll is concerned. Yet, this also is something of a negative when it comes to speed because of the additional resistance or friction created. To compensate and maintain fast to very fast putting speeds, lightweight rolling or double cutting are considered necessary and routine practices. These practices
typically are employed three or four times per week, but at some facilities they are done on a more frequent basis. Generally, when sustained turf growth is occurring, this is not a problem, but additional care needs to be exercised to prevent excessive wear and damage to the perimeters and collars of greens.
 Having sand particles integrated into the turf canopy also aids in reducing ball-to-leaf-blade contact, which in turn helps maintain faster speeds and a smoother, truer ball roll. Thus, frequent but very light sand topdressing is another necessary and routine ultradwarf surface management practice. Throughout the growing season, lightly topdressing on a 7- to 14-day interval is the standard regime. It should further be pointed out that regular sand topdressing plays a dual rule and is needed for dilution of thatch and organic matter accumulation in the upper rootzone. While more frequent topdressing than ever before is being practiced, it is also very important to make sure that a sufficient quantity of sand is being applied annually to
achieve true dilution. Several factors, such as length of the growing season and nitrogen fertilization rates, need to be considered, but applying between 30 to 50 cu. ft. of sand per 1,000 sq. ft. annually would be suggested as a target.
 The turfgrass growth regulator Primo (trinexapac-ethyl) is a very beneficial putting surface management tool with Tifdwarf bermudagrass greens. It was initially questioned, however, if there would be any real benefi t to treating ultradwarf greens, given the fact that a very dense turf canopy already existed. Yet, it was quickly found that with suppressing vertical shoot growth, more consistent putting speeds throughout the day and from one day to the next, along with slightly faster speeds, are achieved with adherence to a regular treatment program. This has become a standard, and it should be pointed out that at a lot of courses in
Central and South Florida, weekly treatments on-virtually a year-round basis are being performed.
The only time they are stopped is just prior to the arrival of a cold front and when nighttime
temperatures of 50 degrees or colder are expected.

GRAIN CONTROL AND SURFACE GROOMING

Due to its stoloniferous growth habit, controlling grain is a major management concern with bermudagrass
greens. There is a strong argument today that with intensively managed, closely cut ultradwarf greens, the influence of grain on ball roll has been minimized to the point that this is not a concern for the vast majority of average to high-handicap golfers. Yet, very distinctive grain patterns do occur and are accentuated by more
frequent rolling and mowing regimes. Since golf, and especially putting, is highly perceptual based, it is imperative to always try to keep grain to a minimum.
 Along with promoting a dense, upright shoot growth character to minimize grain, aggressive verticutting of Tifdwarf putting surfaces has been a standard practice. This also aids in controlling thatch and organic matter accumulation. Verticutting in this manner every two or three weeks is effective, yet it also results in significant
mechanical stress and damage. It has been a standard recommendation to severely verticut Tifdwarf greens with walk-behind units in the early summer and in conjunction with core aeration replications. It was determined fairly quickly, however, that the ultradwarf cultivars do not tolerate severe verticutting and recover very slowly from this abusive cultural regime.
 Regular verticutting of ultradwarf putting surfaces, at least every couple of weeks during the growing season, is being conducted at most facilities. However, along with using the new type of blade options that cut rather than rip through the turf canopy, they are adjusted to operate at no more than 0.0625 to 0.125 of an inch below the effective height of cut. The basic philosophy of routine verticutting of ultradwarf putting surfaces has changed from aggressively removing leaf surface area, thatch, and surface organic matter accumulation, to only thinning the turf canopy and grooming an upright shoot growth habit for grain control.
 With a shallower depth of penetration with regular verticutting, it has been found that a pronounced difference in the effectiveness of the process occurs when working into the grain compared to going down grain. To compensate for this grain effect, double verticutting and going across the putting surface in one direction and then turning around and coming back down the same pass in the opposite direction is needed.
As with routine mowing, the direction of attack with verticutting should be changed with each replication. Circle verticutting is another variation being employed at a few courses in South Florida because it also varies the direction of attack into the grain pattern. While adherence to a regular verticutting schedule throughout the growing season is needed, this also needs to be closely monitored and adjustments made to make sure that excessive thinning, mechanical damage, and stress are not exerted on the turf. Furthermore,
if more aggressive verticutting is required to alleviate a severe grain problem, this should be restricted to the late spring to early summer when maximum sustained growth is occurring.
 In addition to regular verticutting, putting green mower-mounted brushes or groomer attachments are important management tools. Constantly promoting an upright shoot growth character helps keep grain in check, and with minimizing ball-to-leaf contact, a smoother, truer ball roll and faster putting speeds are
achieved. Use of brush or groomer attachments in conjunction with routine mowing is typically performed three to six times per week and in between the routine verticutting replications.

SUMMARY

 Although not discussed in this review, very careful and judicious nitrogen fertilization and irrigation are common denominators at the courses where top-quality ultradwarf putting greens are being maintained. Thus, in many respects, ultradwarf and bentgrass putting greens are managed very similarly today. There is no argument that the ultradwarfs require more intensive and careful management compared to what works successfully with Tifdwarf bermudagrass greens. This has been raised as a concern by some because of the additional commitment of time and resources required. However, on the other hand, if top-quality putting green conditioning is desired or expected, this certainly can be achieved with the ultradwarfs, and the results
justify the efforts.
JOHN H. FOY is the director